The Goderich Signal-Star, 1983-03-30, Page 27Bike-a-thons for cancer will be held Sunday, May 1 across. Cancer Society. The Unit will try to raise $77,000 for cancer
the branches in the Huron County Unit of the Canadian research with various fund-raising events this year.
This information is brought to you with
the kind co-operation of the following:
Aims of Society are three -fold
The Canadian Cancer
Society was established in
1938 at the suggestion of the
Canadian Medical Associa-
tion. ITS INITIAL PUR-
POSE WAS THE EDUCA-
TION OF THE GENERAL
PUBLIC WITH REGARD
TO CANCER. Its aims are
now three -fold: Education,
Service to. Cancer Patients,
and the support of Research
(as described below).
The Canadian Cancer
Societyis a national
organization governed by a
Board of Directors which in-
cludes representation from
each province in Canada as
well as from allied health
organizations.
The Ontario Division is one
of the ` ten provincial Divi-
sions of the Cancer Society.
The Division is governed by
a Board of Directors. Stan-
ding Committees direct all
activities of the Society.
In Ontario; 17 Districts
have been organized to co-
ordinate activities of the
Division and the Units, Bran-
ches and Sections; that carry
out the work of the Society at
the community level. The
Districts also function
through Standing Commit-
tees on Campaign: Com-
memoration Funds; Educa-
tion; Medical Advisory;
Planning, Development and
Nominating; Publicity; and
Service to Patients; the
membership of which is
made up of the respective
Unit Committee Chairman.
The Unit is the level at
which the major portion of
the work of the Society is
carried out. There are more
than one hundred Units in
Ontario. The structure of the
Unit is the same as that of
the District and the Division,
with a governing Boarad of
Directors and similar Stan-
ding Committees, many of
which are broken down still
further into convenorships.
Branches are located in
smaller centres and each is
part of a Unit. Ontario has
approximately two hundred
and fifty Branches, each
with a Board of Directors
and Standing Committees on
Campaign, Education and
Service to Patients.
Sections are composed of
one or more representatives
of the Cancer Society in com-
munities where there are not
enough people to warrant a
more formal structure. They
form a direct part of the Unit-
or Branch with which they
are affiliated.
FUNCTIONS
Public Education
With the help of literature,
films and displays, Educa-
tion volunteers make the
public aware of its respon-
sibility in -the prevention,
early detection and treat-
ment of cancer. Volunteers
promote "The Seven Steps to
Health", the Society's basic
Education message.
Youth Education
Several programs have
been introduced into
schools:
• 3 Smoking and Health
Awareness Kits — Celly
(Kindergarten to grade 3);
The Smoking and Health Kit
for Grades 4-6; and The Kit:
A Guide to Decision Making
and Health for Grades 7 to 8.
• Films and literature en-
couraging young women in
secondary schools to prac-
tise Breast Self -
Examination and have aPap
Test on a regular basis.
• 3 manuals for secondary
schools:
a) The Wild Cells for
biology teachers and
students.
b) Lifestyles for Health
Education, English, Family
Studies, Guidance and Man
in Society teachers.
c) The Source Book for
Teachers and Students — a
reference manual to be used
alone or in conjunction with
a and b.
Adult Education
Volunteers conduct
Education programs for
local women's and men's
groups. Breast Self -
Examination Teaching
Clinics and forums are also
done for large general au-
diences. Pamphlets are
distributed to doctors' and
dentists' offices and displays
are set up at fairs, malls etc.
Industrial Education
Nurses from Ontario Divi-
sion's Industrial Cancer
Education Service show a
film and give a brief talk to
employees in industry, after
which the nurse is available
for workers wishing private
counselling.
PATIENT SERVICES
Services available to All
Cancer Patients.
Coping with Cancer
Group discussion for pa-
tients, family and friends,
led by trained volunteer
Turn to page 12 •'
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Detection of colorectal cancer...
• from page 10
To check beyond this
distance, a barium enema,
which fills the bowels with a
liquic barium compound,
makes the colon and rectum
show up clearly on x-ray
film. Oryou may have a col-
onoscopy, an exam of the en-
tire large bowel, with a light
flexible tube.
If your doctor finds a
tumour he will arrange for a
biopsy, where a small sam-
ple of issue from the area is
removed and examined
under the microscope. This
shows whether the growth is
malignant (cancerous) or
benign ( non -cancerous).
TREATMENT
If treatment is necessary
your doctor will take your
medical history, general
health and the type and loca-
tion of your cancer into ac-
count before he decides
which treatment is right far
ynu..If the eaticei is in the
lower rectum, he may per-
form a surgical procedure
known as a colostomy along
with the removal of the
tumour. This means that
part of the bowel is brought
out to the abdominal wall to
serve as an artificial anus.
This may require the wear-
ing of a plastic `bag' to col-
lect the waste matter from
the bowel. Many people wear
these and live happy full
lives.
Perhaps your doctor will
use radiation therapy in-
stead, and focus a radiation
beam onthe cancer, at a
dose which will destroy it
with minimal damage to sur-
rounding tissues.
Your doctor may
preserihe-chemotherapy, an
anti-cancer drug treatment.
Or he may use a combina-
tion of treatments.
WHAT ELSE SHOULD
I KNOW?
About 9,500 Canadians will
get cancer of the colon this
year. Half will be women...
half men. Cancer of the rec-
tum has always been more
common in men. Overall, it
occurs only half as often as
cancer of the colon.
- If\you are over 40 you
should your doctor for an
occult blo test. Pre -cancer
screening should be part of
your regular check-up.
- If you have colitis (an in-
flamed colon), on polyps
(small cherry-like growths
on the intestinal wall), you
12 VICTORIA ST. SOUTH.. GO0ER1CH, 324.8376
are at -a 'higher risk and
should go out of your way to
have regular check-ups for
colorectal cancer.
- Never write off rectal
bleeding simply to hemor-
rhoids. Only your doctor can
tell for sure.
- There are steps you can
take to protect yourself fur-
ther: easing off on fat rich
foods such as beef, cheese
and nuts may help. And
although the jury is still out
on this, eating lots of fibres
such as bran and whole
wheat seems to be a good
idea.
One thing is clear, eating a
balanced diet is always one
of the best things you can do
for yourself. •
You'll do better at
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